The Paul O'Gorman Childhood Leukaemia Research Centre
The Childhood Cancer, Leukaemia and Electromagnetic Field (CCLEF) Study
commenced in 1997. Children
with Leukaemia funded this research in order to assess the role
of magnetic and electric field exposure in childhood brain tumours and
leukaemia. Thus deriving further information on the aetiology of cancer
and adding to the debate on whether a policy of “prudent avoidance”
is desirable for electromagnetic fields.
A case-control design format was used to recruit children diagnosed
with leukaemia or a brain tumour, under the care of one of the two Regional
Paediatric Oncology Centres (Southampton General Hospital and Bristol
Children’s Hospital) in the South West of England, along with
healthy control children from general practitioner lists.
By the end of the recruitment period, 128 case children and 102 controls
had been enrolled onto the study. A comprehensive survey of the electromagnetic
(EM) field environment in the home was completed in all relevant homes
(where possible) along with a detailed questionnaire concerning EM field
exposures and health related issues.
Analysis of the data collected has been concerned primarily with investigating
the possible relationship between EM exposure and the incidence of childhood
leukaemia and brain tumours. Our results show no significant association
between Time Weighted Average (TWA) magnetic field based on the location
of the child’s bed and any of the disease sub-types, but the leukaemia
pair (and the acute lymphoblastic leukaemia pairs in particular) results
suggest a trend towards high exposures and risk.
No association could be detected between tumour and leukaemia occurrence
and magnetic field levels in any of the other rooms measured.
Time Weighted Average Magnetic Field
Exposures
Although not significant at the 0.05 level, these results can be tentatively
interpreted to support the hypotheses that leukaemia (and A.L.L in particular)
could be associated with elevated magnetic fields. An extended data
collection period and recruitment of larger numbers could assist in
clarifying the suggested association.
Analysis of the data is ongoing, and a paper is currently being prepared
for submission to a peer-reviewed journal.
For further information please contact Liz Dunn (liz.dunn@bris.ac.uk)